Crop dusting machine



Oct. 3, 1944. A. w. GUsTAFsoN 2,359,520

CROP DUST ING MACHINE Filed oct. 8, 1941 5 sheets-sheet 1 Oct.I 3, 1944. A w. GUsTAFsoN CROP DUSTING'MACHINE Filed ctys, 1941 5 SheetseSheet OC- 3, 1944. A. w.IGU sTAFsoN- 2,359,520

`CROP DUSTING MACHINE F led Oct. '8, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor 1 A Home] Oct- 3, 1944 A. w. GusTAFsoN CROI-3 DUSTING MACHINE 5 sheets-smet Filed OCT.. 8. 1941 Im'entor wm Nm.

Oct. 3, 1944. A. w.' GUsTAFsoN CRO? DUSTING MACHINE 'sheets-sheet 5 Filed Oct. 8, 1941 Inventor C BJ' www Patented Oct. 3, 1944 UNITED PATENT OFFICE CRDP DUSTING MACHINE August W. Gustafson, Corpus Christi, Tex.

Application Qctober 8, 1941, Serial No'. `414,182

3 Claims.

This invention is an improvement on my copending application led February '1, 1939, and bearing Serial No. 255,127, whichfissued as Pat.- ent No. 2,283,805, May 19, 1942.

This invention relates to crop dusting machines and has as its principal object the provision of a machine whereby chemicals to kill insect life on crops are distributed uniformly and in a substantially automatic manner.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated wherein the parts are positive acting and substantially foolproof in operation,

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated wherein the various elements of construction are readily accessible for the purpose of repair or replacement of parts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the tional view through one of the joints of the hanger pipe.

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9 9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line Ill-I of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral denotes a frame which can be mounted on a wheeled carriage or otherwise supported in a mobile manner, this frame consisting of side membersI a, a and a rear member b. A support Ii rises from the rear member b and has an elon` gated stationary tube 1 extending at one end therethrough. Rotatably disposed on the tube 1 is a drum 8 which has a filler opening 9 therein normally closed by a closure plate I0. AS can be seen in Figures 1 and 6, the closure plate I0 is held in closed position by a bar II which is hingedly secured in place as at I2', with one end terminating under a detent member I2. This detent member I2 is constructed as shown in Figure 10. In other words, a portion of the intermediate part of this element I2 is removed to leave a recess I3, to the end that when the member I2 is rotated by a handle I4, the member I2 is disposed over the corresponding end of the bar II and when the handle is rotated in the other direction, the recess I3 permits the bar II to be lifted and the closure plate I0 removed. The element I2 is journaled through a pair of bearings I5, I5.

An elongated spirally disposed fm I6 is provided inside of the drum 8 for directing material' onto inwardly projecting blades I1, these blades serving to lift material and release the same at a. certain inclination of the blades to the end that the material will be dumped into the tube 1 through a slot I8 in the top thereof, it being borne in mind that the tube 1 is stationary. A hub vI9 is provided at each end of the drum 8 for embracing the corresponding end portions of the tube 1 and suitable lubricating fittings 28 are provided on these hubs. These hubs are secured in place by securing means which also secures in place suitable clamp means 2| at the inside of `the end portions of the drum 8, these clamp means serving to clamp the ends of a cylindrical screen 22 in place in spacial disposition surrounding the tube 1.

A screw or spiral member 23 is longitudinally disposed in the tube I from an intermediate point past the opening I8 tov terminate at one end of the tube 'l and from the innermost end of this feed spiral 23 extends a shaft 24 projecting be yond support 6 and the adjacent end of the tube 1 where it is provided with a multiple pulley 25.

Within the frame 5 and forwardly of the drum 8 is a blower unit including a blower fan housing 26 having a removable cover plate 21.

A bracket 28 is provided on this removable cover plate 21 and has a pair of bearings 2,9, 29 thereon through which a shaft 30 is journaled, this shaft 30 extending into the housing 26 and having a blower fan 3l suitablysecured thereon.

An L-shaped spout 32 extends downwardly from the housing 26v as is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 4.

On the shaft 30 is a large pulley wheel 33 and a substantially smaller pulley wheel 3,4..

A rearwardly extending and tapered manifold 23x 36 is provided at the lower end of the spout From each vertical side portion of the manifold box 36 extends a plurality of flexible conprovide barrels 43 through which the ends of link members 44 are disposed. VThese links support wing sections 45 also of. pipe lengths and each of these wing sections at its inner end is which is rolled to provide a barrel 41 for accomprovided with a'iiange 46, the upper portion of modating the remaining ends of the links`44.

Thus the wing sections 45 are swingably connected to the sustaining section 4| and to the end that the wing sections 45 can be swung upwardly to the position shown in Figure 2, carrying with them the nozzle end portions of the conduits 31, as when the apparatus must pass through a restricted space (see Figure 2).

Arms 48 extend downwardly from the pipe 4| and the wing sections 45 and are secured to the nozzles 38 so that the nozzles are rigidly held in the desired spaced relation.

A shaft 50 extends longitudinally of the drum 8 and this shaft 50 at itsends is disposed through the upper portions of bearing blocks 5l which are equipped with suitable lubricating fittings 52.

The lower portions of these blocks 5l have openings therethrough for receiving supporting pins 52, each of which has one end welded or`otherywise secured as at`53 to the head 54 of a bolt 55V which passes downwardly through the corresponding side portion a of the frame 5. A cotter pin or the like 56 is provided at the remain.- ing end of each of the pins 52. Thus Ythe blocks 5I are swingably mounted,but are held in outwardly disposed position by compression springs 51. As VVcan be seen in Figure 6, a bracket 58 is provided for each of theblocks 5| and a pin Y 59 projects from each bracket 58 and through an opening 60 in the corresponding block 5|. The

coiled compression spring 51 is disposed on the saben ss. Y

Numeral 6B denotes a drive shaft (see Figure 1) having a pulley 61 between which and the pulley V33 on the blower fan shaft, 30 is trained a belt 68.

On the shaft 59 is a pulley 15 which has trained thereover a belt 16, this belt being trained around Y Vthe drum 8 for the purpose of driving the drum.

In the operation of the apparatus, chemicals Vare placed in the drum 8 through the door I0, in such quantities and proportions as desired.V

The unit is preferably mounted on atractor by attaching the frame ofthe unit thereto'.Y The mechanism is driven by a power driven shaft 50. The chemicals in the drum 8 are picked up by the bladesV |1 as 4they revolve with the drum and are dropped through the screen 22 into the opening I8 in the tube 1 where they are carried by the revolving feed screw 23 into the blower 6. The screen 22 obviously prevents any foreign matter from getting into the tube 1 and being carried into the blower. Pressure is developed by the revolving impeller 3| in the blower, which blows the chemicals from the blower housing, through its exhaust and to the manifold 36, from where the chemicals escape by Way of the flexible conduits 31. 'I'he chemicals spread from the nozzles 38 of the conduits onto vegetation as desired. It is desired that the conduits 31 be flexible to facilitate use of different levels.

VWhile the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be'understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described-the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a distributing machine of the character described, a blower unit, an elongated tubular member having an opening in the side wall thereof, a drum rotatably mounted on the tubular member and over the opening thereima shaft extending into the tubular member from oneend thereof, the other end of the tubular member extending into the blower unit, a screen in the,

drum and carried thereby, said screen enveloping that portion of the tubular member within the drum, and a feed screw extending inthe tubular member toward the blower unit from said shaft.

2. In a distributing machine of the character described, a blower unit, an elongated tubular member having an opening in the side wall thereof, a drum rotatably mounted on the tubular member and over the opening therein, a shaft extending into the tubular member from one end thereof, the other end of the tubular member extending into the blower unit, a screen' in the drum and carried thereby,l said screenenveloping that portion of the tubular member within the drum, a feed screw extending in the tubular member toward the blower unit from said shaft, a drive shaft laterally of said drum, and drive means between the drive shaft and the firstmentioned shaft and between the drive shaft and the blower unit. Y 3. In a distributing machine of the character described, a blower unit, an elongated tubular .memberhaving an opening in the side wall thereof, a drum rotatably mounted on the tubular l member and over the opening therein, a` shaft extending into the tubular member from oneend thereof, the other end of the tubular member extending into the blower unit, a screen in the means between the drive shaft and the blower unit.

AUGUST W. GUSTAFSON. v 

